The Raney Daye series continues with After Life, written by authors Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach, featuring Detective Nate Raney and Dr. Jennifer Daye. Raney now works as a private investigator after being shot and forced to retire. He collaborates with Dr. Daye, a lecturer in anthropology and parapsychology, investigating paranormal events. Their business is far from a financial success, which puts pressure on their professional and personal partnership. Raney and Daye’s team is invited to investigate a new case. The parents of Danny, a ten-year-old boy, seek their help when he becomes fixated on a woman who only he can see. The woman, Maureen, died in the house fifteen years previously. This case leads Raney and Daye into danger as they try to resolve the parents’ dilemma and solve the mystery.

Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach’s writing captivates the reader and sweeps them along. Daye and Raney are engaging and believable, as is their group of misfit assistants. The writing has a visual quality, and it is easy to picture each scene and the characters. The pace was fast, and once I started, I was captured by the story, wanting to read more. The dead and alive characters are convincing, the setting is intriguing, and the tension and drama are electrifying. After Life offers some insights into parapsychology, but this book is read for pure pleasure and doesn’t disappoint. There are many twists, and you will try to discover who the Mastermind is and whether Raney and Daye will become more than friends.

After Life by Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach is the second book in the Raney/Daye Investigation series. Nate Raney, a retired police detective, and Dr. Jennifer Daye, a parapsychologist, embark on a case that involved a woman named Maureen and her husband Dale. The couple attempted to rob a bank fifteen years ago. Maureen died after she had managed to hide stolen cash and jewelry. Evil people were looking for money and jewelry and would do anything to find them. Danny and his family were living in the farmhouse that Maureen had previously owned. Danny befriended Maureen’s ghost, but his parents were concerned about who he was talking to. Danny's life was in danger because the criminals hoped that Maureen would tell him where the stolen goods were hidden. Detective Raney and Dr. Daye were determined to discover who was behind the failed bank robbery and how everything was connected.

Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach took me on an emotional journey in After Life. The plot was complicated and intriguing. The story was fast-paced and full of twists and turns, and I never knew what would happen next. I was hooked from the start. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, and I turned the pages as fast as possible. The characters were impressively developed and realistic. My favorite was Maureen. I could visualize the interaction between her and Danny. The story was well-researched and inspired by a true story. It was excellently written with a fascinating storyline. The end was exciting and fitting.

After Life is the second installment of the Raney/Daye Investigation series by Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach. Nate Raney is a former SFPD detective turned private investigator. A firm skeptic of anything paranormal, Nate does his best to work alongside his investigative partner Dr. Jennifer Daye, a parapsychologist. When a ten-year-old boy named Danny Foreman starts seeing the ghost of a woman, his parents seek Dr. Daye's help. It turns out that the woman, Maureen, died during a botched robbery fifteen years ago. However, Maureen's husband, Dale Everly, is still alive and recently released from prison. Now, Dale and his former accomplices are hell-bent on finding the loot that Maureen had hidden all those years ago. Will Nate and Jennifer be able to catch the culprits before Danny's life is in danger?

For paranormal sleuth mystery lovers, After Life is a treat you don't want to miss out on. Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach spin a gripping mystery tale with a tinge of the supernatural that pulls you in from the first page and keeps you immersed until the last. With some stellar character work and an engaging plot with some surprising twists and turns, the authors deliver a brilliant cozy mystery novel bound to keep you entertained. Nate and Jennifer have palpable chemistry, and their dynamic plays a central role in the story. I very much enjoyed this book and can't recommend it highly enough.

After Life by Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach is book two of the Raney/Daye Investigation series. Nate Raney, a retired police detective, has teamed up with Dr. Jennifer Daye again to investigate a new case. Fifteen years ago, Maureen died in a bank robbery gone wrong, but the money is missing. A young boy named Danny lives in her old house, and now she’s talking to him. Hired by Danny’s parents, Raney and Daye begin their investigation, wondering if Maureen will reveal where the money and jewels are hidden. But someone else is on the trail, and they will do anything to get to the money first. Is Danny safe? Will Maureen tell him where she hid the money? Can Raney and Daye solve this mystery before it’s too late?

After Life by Rich Hosek, Arnold Rudnick, and Loyd Auerbach is the second in a series, a fantastic follow-up with an excellent set of characters. A lot is happening—the mystery of the missing money, the ghost of one of the bank robbers, and an infamous character looking for the money. This book is skillfully written, with the story elements weaving together nicely into a plot that hooks you, with the bonus of a ghost telling us what it feels like to be a ghost. The characters are well-developed and likable, and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading, not to mention guessing all the way through. As I discovered at the end, this is also based on a true story, adding an extra dimension—a thoroughly enjoyable story.